The Namuwongo Blazers completed a stunning rise to the summit of Ugandan basketball after dethroning the mighty City Oilers with a commanding 68-55 victory on Wednesday night at the Lugogo Indoor Arena sealing their maiden National Basketball League title in style.
In a matchup that symbolized a power shift in local basketball, the Blazers overcame early jitters to outplay the 10-time champions, whose decade-long dominance came to an abrupt end before a packed crowd.
After trading baskets in a tightly contested first half that ended 35-35, the Blazers returned from the break with renewed intensity. Led by captain James Okello and veteran guard Jimmy Enabu both former Oilers the Namuwongo side tightened defensively and executed with precision on offense.
Okello, who delivered a captain’s performance with 16 points, combined brilliantly with Enabu (12) and Peter Obleng (11) as the Blazers opened up a decisive gap in the third quarter and never looked back.
City Oilers, despite the efforts of Chad Bowie and Mer Maker, failed to recover their rhythm, undone by the Blazers’ energy and disciplined rotations.
The final buzzer signaled not just a victory, but the dawn of a new era as the Namuwongo Blazers, once underdogs, rose to claim basketball’s biggest domestic prize and officially ended the Oilers’ 10-year stranglehold on Ugandan basketball.
